William Cristancho Duarte, a human rights lawyer, was threatened in north Colombia on the day of a preliminary hearing regarding the extrajudicial execution of two peasant farmers, who had initially been presented as guerrillas killed in combat, during a military operation. William Cristancho Duarte’s life and the life of a witness are in danger.

UA: 242/10 Index: AMR 23/035/2010 Colombia Date: 17 November 2010

URGENT ACTION

DEMAND PROTECTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER

William Cristancho Duarte, a human rights lawyer, was threatened in north

Colombia on the day of a preliminary hearing regarding the extrajudicial

execution of two peasant farmers, who had initially been presented as

guerrillas killed in combat, during a military operation. William Cristancho

Duarte’s life and the life of a witness are in danger.

William Cristancho Duarte, a human rights lawyer from Corporación Compromiso

was working on the cases of the extrajudicial executions of Julio César Cardozo Quiñónez

and José del Carmen Barbosa Patiño, two local peasant farmers who had been killed during

a military operation of the Battalion of Engineers Francisco José de Caldas (Batallón de Ingenieros Francisco José de

Caldas) on 19 October 2007 in the area of Chucuri-San Isidoro, Piedecuesta Municipality, Santander Department.

The two men had worked with William Cristancho Duarte, who occasionally provided protection and transport. Both

men were initially presented as guerrillas killed in combat.

On 26 October, William Cristancho was threatened soon after attending a hearing with local judicial officials in

Piedecuesta Municipality to discuss the case and the possible detention ofmembers of the Battalion of Engineers

Francisco José de Caldas for their participation in the killings. A witness to the killings was also threatened. The

preliminary hearing was rescheduled to 18 November.

Several people observed and followed William Cristancho as he made his way to the hearing. After the meeting he

received a call on his mobile; a man said “What are you doing son-of-a-bitch lawyer, enemy of the army?” (Qué hace

abogado hijueputa enemigo del ejercito?). Some five minutes later, after leaving the building, about two blocks from

the main square, a man approached William Cristancho and said “Make way son-of-a-bitch defender of guerrillas we